House Votes 308-117 to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent, Sending 'Sunshine Protection Act' to the Senate

The House of Representatives voted 308-117 on Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent, advancing the most serious attempt in years to end the ritual of springing forward and falling back that most Americans say they are tired of. The measure, known as the Sunshine Protection Act, now heads to the Senate, where its fate is far less certain.

The bill, authored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., would allow states to voluntarily observe daylight saving time year-round rather than switching their clocks each March and November. Roughly 20 states have already passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent, but those laws cannot take effect without an act of Congress. "Let's stop asking Americans to reset their clocks every March and November," said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., during floor debate. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., argued the change would improve daily life: "More evening sunshine means more time with family and more time to enjoy our local restaurants."

The vote was lopsided but not unanimous. Just 22 Republicans opposed the bill, including Reps. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Ryan Zinke of Montana and Harriet Hageman of Wyoming. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also voted no. Critics from both parties warned that lawmakers were moving faster than the science. "If we're going to make a permanent change that affects every American, we should follow the science," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa. Many sleep researchers and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have argued that permanent standard time — not permanent daylight time — better matches human circadian rhythms, because year-round daylight saving would leave large parts of the country with sunrise after 8 a.m. in the depths of winter.

The politics of the clock have a long and stubborn history. The Senate passed a nearly identical Sunshine Protection Act by unanimous consent in 2022, only for the bill to die in the House amid disagreement over whether to choose permanent daylight or permanent standard time. This time the chambers have swapped roles: the House has acted first, and the Senate must now decide whether to take it up. The White House called the bill a "popular, common-sense reform," and President Trump is expected to sign it if it clears Congress.

Daylight saving time was first adopted nationally during World War I as an energy-saving measure and has been tweaked repeatedly ever since, most recently in 2007. Supporters say a permanent switch would reduce seasonal disruptions linked to car crashes, heart attacks and workplace accidents in the days after clocks change. Opponents counter that darker winter mornings could endanger schoolchildren waiting for buses and depress mood in northern states. For now, the debate moves to the Senate — and, for the millions of Americans watching, the prospect that the November 2026 clock change could be one of the last.